Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District

NEWS

As outlined in a press release from February 2016, the Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District (KBID) headquartered in Courtland, KS was granted $2.5 million of the $5.5 million awarded to the state of Kansas by the Supreme Court of the United States as a result in the case of Kansas v. Nebraska No. 126 Original, for conservation projects.

Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District will use the funds for the conversion of open lateral canals to buried pipe systems for delivering irrigation water. Converting open canals to piped systems decreases significant water losses by eliminating evaporation, seepage and operational spills. The contract between KBID and the Kansas Water Office, who is holding the funds for dispersal, outlines that the $2.5 million will be used over the next eight years for material purchases needed for these conversion projects. KBID will provide all of the man-power, labor and equipment needed to install the new pipelines during the non-irrigation seasons.

The funding will allow 15 – 20 miles of open canal to be converted to buried pipeline. The large diameter PVC pipe will range from 36” diameter on the large end of the scale down to 10” diameter on the smaller end.

The first canal to pipe conversion project to be undertaken with the funds will commence in the fall of 2016 and will be on the 33.0 lateral canal and associated sub-laterals. The project is scheduled for completion by June 1st, 2017. This particular project will eliminate 3.9 miles of open canal and will result in the installation of over 20,000 feet of large diameter pipe. The material cost including the pipe, fittings and associated field turnout items needed will total approximately $520,000. The labor and equipment estimate to complete the project comes in at $200,000 and will be provided by KBID.

Organizational Overview

Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District No.2 (KBID) is a 42,500 acre surface water irrigation district serving agricultural lands in Jewell County and Republic County in North Central Kansas and is headquartered in the town of Courtland. The District is made up of 100 miles of main canals and an additional 150 miles of lateral canals and pipelines.

Kansas Bostwick was organized and incorporated in 1948. After entering into long-term repayment contract with the United States Bureau of Reclamation for the construction of the district for a price of $5.5 million, KBID made its first deliveries of irrigation water to agricultural fields in 1955.

Kansas Bostwick holds water right #385 with the state of Kansas with a priority date of July 16th, 1948 for flows of the Republican River which serves as the primary supply source of irrigation water for KBID. Kansas Bostwick, through the Bureau of Reclamation, utilizes Harlan County Reservoir near Alma, Nebraska, and Lovewell Reservoir near Webber, KS as its water storage facilities.

Kansas Bostwick’s office staff is made up of Superintendent Jared “Pete” Gile and office manager Tracie Nelson. The district employs thirteen other full time employees who are charged with maintaining and improving the system as well as delivering irrigation water through canals to crop fields throughout the summer months.

The District’s policies are set and decisions are made by a three member Board of Directors who are landowners within the District and are advised by the Superintendent. These board members are elected by all landholders in the District. KBID is funded by assessments levied against the classified irrigation acres served by KBID and collected with annual landowner property taxes through their respective counties.

The mission at Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District No. 2 is to deliver the precious resource of water to our irrigators and agricultural producers in the most cost effective, efficient, and conservation minded way possible within the affordable limits of available modern technology.